Sri Lanka’s Praveen Jayawickrama Receives One-Year Ban for Anti-Corruption Breach

Sri Lankan cricketer Praveen Jayawickrama has been suspended from all forms of cricket for one year after violating the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption code. The ban, announced following an ICC investigation, stems from three breaches of the code, including failure to report an approach to fix matches and obstruction of an investigation.

The 26-year-old spinner admitted to the charges in August, which included an incident from the 2021 Lanka Premier League (LPL). Jayawickrama had been approached to fix international matches and was also asked to involve another player in the scheme during the LPL season.

As part of the sanction, Jayawickrama accepted a one-year suspension, with the final six months suspended, contingent on his future conduct.

Jayawickrama made a strong start to his international career, debuting in April 2021 and taking 11 wickets in his first Test against Bangladesh. Over his career, he has played five Tests, five one-day internationals, and five T20 internationals, last representing Sri Lanka in June 2022.

The ICC’s swift response underscores its commitment to upholding the integrity of the game, as cricket continues to grapple with corruption-related challenges.